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Politics & Presidential Election – Final Showdown for Voters, Spotlight on Youth and Moderates
With South Korea’s early presidential election set for June 3, 2025, candidates are entering the final stretch of their campaigns.
Ruling party candidate Lee Jae-myung is focusing on policies aimed at youth and vulnerable populations, while also leveraging issues such as North Korea and inter-Korean relations.
Opposition coalition candidate Kim Moon-soo has turned heads with bold promises like restoring the real estate market, revitalizing the semiconductor industry, and a surprising pledge to send a Korean crew to the moon by 2032.
Meanwhile, Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party has committed to staying in the race, appealing to moderates and younger voters. He argues that it’s time to end Korea’s entrenched two-party system, calling it “a political structure everyone is tired of.”
All eyes are now on voter turnout among those in their 20s and 30s, and how the moderate bloc might cast strategic votes.
Transportation & Labor – Potential Seoul Bus Strike Sparks Commuter Anxiety
A bus strike in Seoul may begin at any moment, as wage negotiations between the city and the bus union have hit a wall. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is preparing emergency measures, including deploying over 2,000 public substitute buses and extending subway service during peak hours.
The union claims that their demands for inflation-adjusted wage increases have been repeatedly ignored.
In addition to the bus crisis, there are growing tensions across labor sectors, including the Truckers’ Union’s legal action campaign and disputes over resident doctors’ employment quotas in university hospitals.
These developments signal broader labor unrest across Korea.
Economy & Industry – U.S. Volatility Spills Over to Korean Markets
Though the U.S. stock market was closed for Memorial Day, former President Donald Trump's remarks on trade stirred unease. Trump suggested he might impose tariffs as high as 50% on European and Chinese goods, stating that both regions are "using America for profit."
This uncertainty is already impacting Korean exporters—particularly those in semiconductors and automotive.
Domestically, attention is focused on the trend of Korean retail investors (known as 'Seohak-Aemi') selling off U.S. stocks. Over 1 trillion KRW worth of shares were sold last week alone, including popular tech names like Nvidia, Tesla, and SOXL ETF.
Analysts cite profit-taking at perceived highs, exchange rate concerns, and U.S. political risk as key reasons behind the selling trend. Many investors are rebalancing their portfolios and increasing cash holdings.
Entertainment & Culture – Hwang Jung-eum’s Second Divorce Draws Mixed Reactions
In the entertainment world, actress Hwang Jung-eum has finalized her second divorce from businessman Lee Young-don, marking the end of a turbulent relationship that included both reconciliation and repeated separations.
Her agency stated she will be focusing on her acting career for now. Public response has been mixed—some emphasize it’s a private matter, while others express fatigue over celebrities’ repeated divorces and overexposed personal lives.
On a more positive note, Korean culture continues to shine globally: the Netflix original series “Seoul Code” has entered the global Top 10 rankings, showcasing Korea’s strength in entertainment content.
With AI integration and digital human technology rising, the industry is rapidly evolving into a new era.
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